BY JOAN KIM

In print | March 20, 2008

So you’ve already seen the Liberty Bell, eaten a Philly cheese steak and walked up the Philadelphia Museum steps humming the theme to Rocky - what else could you possibly find to do in the great city of Philadelphia with your meager savings and continuously thinning wallet? While it might seem like there’s nothing affordable left to do beyond Swarthmore’s borders, there are, believe it or not, quite a few other activities in Philadelphia that won’t break your wallet - especially if you’re looking at the arts. Although plays and operas may seem out of your price range, they are cheaper than you might expect, especially if you make use of student discounts.

Though the opera might seem intimidating, there truly is no better time than the present to try it out. This so-called-dying art is now more accessible than ever. The libretto, whether it is in French, Spanish or Italian, is supplemented with supertitles above the stage. The Philadelphia Opera Company, which regularly performs at the Kimmel Center, will next be performing Norma with tickets on sale at prices of $7 to $205. The Opera Club on campus provided a limited number of college-subsidized opera tickets for $6 a pop for the past opera “Cyrano” and the upcoming “Norma.” “We don’t do Student Rush Tickets. We buy them in advance so there is no risk [of not getting a ticket],” Treasurer of the Opera Club Mattie Gregor ’10 said. With the funding the Opera Club received from SBC, the Opera Club purchased a number of tickets and advertised them through Reserved Students Digest and posters on campus. “There was way more interest than the number of tickets,” Gregor added. For those unable to receive tickets, Student Rush tickets are available at the Academy of Music Box Office with a student ID. The tickets are $5 for seats in the Amphitheater or half price to sit anywhere else if your wallet allows.

The Kimmel Center offers Student Rush tickets on a “show-by-show basis” that can be purchased 30 minutes before each performance for $10 per ticket with a student ID. These tickets are only one per person. If the Kimmel Center does not provide Student Rush for a particular show, they also offer the community rush program where a number of $10 tickets go on sale two and a half hours before the performance, cash only, one per person. This includes the Philadelphia Orchestra’s performances. “It was really simple and we got really great seats to see a great concert for a low price,” Alyssa Van Thoen ’08 said.

The Pennsylvania Ballet also provides Student Rush tickets one hour before each performance for $20 in the Parquet Circle, sections A, B, H, and I. “It was a very spontaneous move for us to see the Messiah at the Academy of Music. Originally, we were supposed to see the orchestra at the Kimmel Center but they ran out of rush tickets,” Javier Camacho ’09 said. But the abrupt change of plans was not too out of the way since these performances were all in the same area. Camacho found rush tickets were still available 30 minutes prior to the dance performance.

The Cadillac Broadway Series at the Kimmel Center offers only Community Rush tickets on a “show-by-show basis,” not Student Rush tickets. These tickets are available two and half hours before the show for $28 and must be paid for in cash. According to Camacho, this method was more of a hassle since it was cash only and more expensive. However, if you need your Broadway fix, this is one of many places to get it.

If you are looking for free performances, there are a variety of free but not as exciting events at the Kimmel Center all found on their website including pre-performance talks, an American Composers Forum and various DJs all in the Commonwealth Plaza Stage.

The Curtis Institute of Music also provides many performances, some of which are at the Kimmel Center. Curtis hosts performances with some of the up and coming musical talents. The Curtis Opera Theater sells single tickets for $22-$33 per show. The repertoire of the 2007-2008 season included Mozarts Le Nozze di Figaro, Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and the Golijov’s Ainadamar. The Curtis Symphony Orchestra at the Kimmel Center sells tickets from $5-$36 and often have world renowned soloists such as the pianist Leon Fleisher, who played with the New York Philharmonic at age 16 and famously lost the use of his right hand in 1965, but has recently regained the use of it. Alumni Recital Concerts are $28 and Student Recitals are usually held Monday through Wednesday and on Fridays at 8pm, which are free. The ticket office, located on 1726 Locust St., Philadelphia is convenient and easy to find.

Although New York’s Broadway and London’s West End cannot be rivaled, the Philadelphia theater scene is thriving. Theaters such as the Walnut Street Theater, the Arden Theater Company and the New Freedom Theater are only a few of the many theaters in Philadelphia showing Man of La Mancha, The Odd Couple, Les Miserables and My Fair Lady. The Walnut Street Theater sells day-of-show tickets from $30 to $40 that can be purchased online, by phone or in person. For the Youth Tickets program, tickets are $15 for buyers 24 years and younger, per ID per person purchased only in person. $10 tickets are available for every performance in the Upper Mezzanine. These too can be purchased in advance. Theaters through Philadelphia all offer special deals such as the Walnut Street Theater but be sure to call the box office for complete details.

All of these deals are subject to change and it is advisable to call the box office in advance to ensure availability of tickets and for information on when and where to purchase them.

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